Nothing wrong, says Shahnawaz

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 29. The Civil Aviation Minister, Mr. Shahnawaz Hussain, today said there was nothing wrong in giving permission to a foreign aircraft to land for refuelling. Asked about the U.S. Hercules C-130 aircraft landing at Delhi airport on Friday, the Minister said, ``it was not a fighter plane, involved in any war and there was nothing wrong in allowing it to refuel''.

The Minister who reviewed the aviation security in the country at a high-level meeting with senior officials and airport directors here today said the Ministry of Civil Aviation would soon come up with a Civil Aviation Security Act and rules and regulations bestowing security agencies with powers to conduct searches and make arrests. ``The Act will clarify the legal powers of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and other agencies responsible for security in this sector,'' he said.

The Ministry had taken up with the Finance Ministry the issue of bail-out package sought by airlines to pay enhanced insurance premiums for war, hijacking and terrorism. The proposal to stand guarantee on behalf of Air India for leasing companies would also be decided within the next fortnight.

The Central Industrial Security Force which had been deployed at 20 airports will be posted at the rest of the 46 airports by November and sky marshals would be deployed on all routes and flights.

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